“Tis the season for your dog to get into trouble with the local wildlife!

If Rover noses around in the bushes, be prepared that he may turn up smelling like a skunk.Many grooming products will temporarily cover the smell but the faint odor of skunk can linger for weeks.This homemade recipe actually lifts the skunk spray oils out of your dog’s fur and rids them of the smell permanently…or at least until the next time!

12 Responses to Ask a Vet: Homemade Recipe for Skunk Odor Removal

i am curious if there is any homemade recipies to eliminate female dog urine smell and male cat urine smell??????i have both and have tried just about everything i am at my wits end with this problem….any advice to help with this?????

A skunk or skunks has burrowed under the concrete slab foundation of my house and is coming an going in the wee hours of the night. In the mean time we get a strong smell inside the house from time to time. My question is “Do you have any suggestions as to how I can get rid of the skunk? If I plug his access and he is under there will he dig out someplace else or die there and make living in the house impossible for a period of time?” I have a live trap but how woulld I dispose of the skunk if I am able to trap it?
Please reply to my email address.
Jim Gazzaway

I’m not sure about this homemade recipe but I do know about a dog shampoo that is made from all natural essential oils that worked wonders for my granddaughter only after one shampoo the smell was gone you can also use it in the laundry to get rid of the skunk smell on your clothes here is the link if you want to check it outhttp://www.dinovite.com/index.php/shampoos

Unfortunately there is not an easy “fix” to the smell of hormones that your dog is currently producing. During heat, a female dog produces large amounts of hormones that male dogs are obsessed by! Even if she is a well trained dog, she cannot be trusted off leash or out of your control. Never let her outside by herself–even in a fenced yard–male dogs have been known to scale fences to get to a receptive female. This will help avoid unwanted breeding and pregnancy.

On average heat lasts about 3 weeks, although it does range from 2-4 weeks. Talk to your vet about the optimal time to spay her.

How do you remove skunk odor from the mouth of a dog.His breath smells like a skunk. He was sprayed by a skunk about a week ago & still smells. We tried tomatoe juice and also vinegar & when he breathes he still smells

Hi Marge, sorry to hear about your dog’s smelly situation! Many times the odor is clinging to the hair around the mouth and I would recommend the following recipe to be applied to this area:

Mix the following ingredients in a plastic bucket:

1 quart of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (open a fresh bottle)

¼ cup of Baking Soda

1-2 teaspoons of Liquid Soap (Softsoap and Ivory are recommended)

Directions:

Apply the solution to the affected area and work in deeply.
Leave on for at least 5 minutes or until the odor is gone.
Rinse the area thoroughly with lukewarm water.
Smell your pet! If he still reeks of skunk, repeat steps 1-3!
Pour any remaining solution down the drain with running water.
Good luck. Dr. Donna Spector

My family has been for years mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda into a loose paste…..but we rub it into the effected area (usually the face, cuz that’s where the nose is located) let it totally dry and then comb or scratch it off, if your very, very bad doggy hasn’t done so already….
Found that using soap or anything that is perfumed, tends to lessen the treatments results.

We have always found that Denorex or TGel (tar based dandruff shampoos) work very well. However, I’d like to hear from a veterinarian whether this is harmful to the pet. (Definitely have to keep it away form the eyes, ears, and mouth.)

Hi Russell–Thanks for writing in. Coal tar-containing shampoos (like Denorex, etc.) do have a degreasing action and may help with the removal of skunk spray and odor, but I would recommend sticking with the liquid detergent route for skunk spray and odor removal. In addition to degreasing, the coal tar shampoos have other medical actions that may be undesired in a dog without skin disease and may lead to skin drying, skin irritation and even photosensitization. Many owners dislike the odor of coal tar shampoo and the tar may stain some haircoats.